Refrigerated case with embedded contact cooling structure

ABSTRACT

A refrigerated case has an insulated support structure that serves as a display platform and provides contact cooling for preservation of fresh food products. The case includes a base and an insulated support structure coupled to the base. The insulated support structure includes a platform portion configured for placement of food products directly thereon, and a front wall portion and a rear wall portion. The front and rear wall portions support a canopy, so that the insulated support structure and the canopy substantially enclose and define a temperature controlled space. The insulated support structure includes a top surface facing the temperature controlled space, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface with an interior space defined between the top and bottom surfaces. A pattern of cooling passages are arranged within the interior space along an underside of the top surface at the platform portion to provide contact cooling to food products disposed on the platform portion. The remaining volume within the interior space is substantially filled with a thermal insulation material.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present Application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)(1) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/331,696, titled “Refrigerated Case With Contact Cooling Structure” and filed on May 5, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

The present invention relates generally to the field of temperature controlled display devices (e.g. refrigerated cases, etc.) for storing and displaying refrigerated objects. More specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerated case having a display platform with a liquid coolant circulated therethrough to provide contact or conduction cooling to food products displayed on the platform. More specifically still, the present invention relates to a refrigerated case having a display platform with a liquid coolant circulated therethrough, where the display platform is integrally formed with an insulated support structure of the case.

It is well known to provide a temperature controlled display device such as a refrigerator, freezer, refrigerated merchandiser, refrigerated display case, etc., that may be used in commercial, institutional, and residential applications for storing or displaying refrigerated or frozen objects. For example, it is known to provide service type refrigerated display cases for displaying fresh food products such as beef, pork, poultry, fish, etc. Such display cases may include elevated platforms (e.g. shelves, pans, etc.) that are mounted above an insulated support structure (e.g. “tank”) of the case. Such platforms support the food products for display and are typically elevated to provide enhanced viewing to potential customers. In some instances, the elevated platforms are made from a heat conductive material and configured to receive a flow of a coolant therethrough to provide contact or conduction cooling to the displayed food products. However, these elevated platforms with flow-through cooling present a number of disadvantages. For example, a network of coolant supply and return tubing, along with applicable valves, instruments and other control devices that are associated with each of the platforms are typically located within the case and tend to add cost and complexity to the case design, and interfere with cleaning of the case, and create additional components from which coolant leaks may occur. Also, the open space beneath the elevated platforms and the insulated support structure of the case tends to be an area of ‘lost cooling’ where air that is cooled by the underside of the platform(s) tends to accumulate but is not effectively usable for cooling the displayed food products.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a temperature controlled display device having an insulated support structure that also serves as a display platform and provides contact cooling for preservation of fresh food products.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the invention relates to a temperature controlled display device, such as a refrigerated service-type case, having an insulated support structure that also serves as a display platform and provides contact cooling for preservation of fresh food products. The case includes a base (e.g. stand, cabinet, etc.) and an insulated support structure (e.g. “tank,” etc.) coupled to the base. The insulated support structure includes a platform portion configured for placement of food products directly thereon (or via trays or the like), and a front wall portion and a rear wall portion. The front and rear wall portions support a canopy, so that the insulated support structure and the canopy and appropriate sidewalls substantially enclose and define a temperature controlled space. The insulated support structure includes a liner having a top surface facing the temperature controlled space, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface with an interior space defined between the top and bottom surfaces. A pattern of cooling passages are arranged within the interior space along an underside of the top surface at the platform portion to provide contact cooling to food products disposed on the platform portion. The remaining volume within the interior space is substantially filled with a thermal insulation material. The cooling passages may be in the form of tubing (e.g. coils, etc.), conduits having extruded shapes (e.g. rectangular, etc.), or refrigerated pans (e.g. flow-through refrigerated pans) that are secured to the underside of the top surface in a heat transfer relationship. The cooling passages may be provided in one or more “circuits,” so that the temperature of each of the circuits can be individually controlled by a suitable control system.

Another pattern of cooling passages may be arranged within the interior space along an underside of the top surface at the rear wall portion to provide a source of convective cooling to the food products disposed on the platform portion. An airflow device (e.g. fan, etc.) may be provided to enhance the circulation of air over the rear wall portion and throughout the temperature controlled space. The rear wall portion may also include fins or other suitable structure intended to enhance heat transfer with air circulating within the temperature controlled space.

The platform portion of the insulated support structure may be contoured to provide a low point, and may have a drain opening disposed proximate the low point and extending through the display platform to facilitate cleaning of the case. Alternatively, the platform portion may be inclined (e.g. tilted or tipped forward) at a slight angle (e.g. within a range of approximately 2-7 degrees from horizontal) to enhance presentation of the food products to potential customers and to create a low point to facilitate drainage of condensate and other liquids toward the drain opening. The base may include an enclosure configured for placement of refrigeration system components therein, which may include a heat exchanger (e.g. chiller, etc.) and a pump for circulating a liquid coolant (e.g. glycol, water, glycol-water mixture, etc.) through the chiller and through the cooling passages. The canopy includes a forward section having a customer viewing window and a rearward section with one or more access control devices (e.g. sliding doors/windows, etc.). The canopy may also include a service platform at an uppermost location that separates the rearward section from the forward section. The service platform may support any one or more of a gravity type cooling coil, air flow louver, drip pan, and lighting devices coupled to an underside of the service platform. The insulated support structure may also include suitable drainage troughs or gutters formed therein to facilitate drainage of the liquids from the platform portion.

The temperature controlled space within the liquid-cooled case is intended to be substantially free of hoses, valves, and disconnect devices that are typically associated with elevated contact-cooling platforms, in order to reduce clutter and complexity, minimize the likelihood of leaks and to improve cleanability of the case.

The thermal conduction surface of the platform portion is disposed at the lowest region within the temperature controlled space to improve thermal performance by eliminating ‘lost cooling’ spaces.

Integrating the contact-cooling platform portion within the insulated support structure of the case is further intended to eliminate the need to remove separate elevated platforms for cleaning, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, in which:

FIG. 1 is an schematic image of a side elevation view of a prior art temperature controlled display device having an elevated contact-cooling platform.

FIG. 2 is a schematic image of a side elevation view of a temperature controlled display device, shown as a refrigerated case, having a contact-cooling display platform integrated with an insulated support structure of the case, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic image of a side elevation view of a temperature controlled display device, shown as a refrigerated case, having a contact-cooling display platform integrated with an insulated support structure of the case, according to another exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art temperature controlled case 10 having an elevated contact cooling display platform 12 to provide direct contact cooling to fresh food products 14 disposed thereon is shown according to an exemplary embodiment. Typical hoses, valves, instruments and other controls associated with controlling a flow of a liquid coolant through the elevated platform 14 are not shown for clarity. The case 10 is shown to include a gravity-type cooling coil 16. A space 18 below elevated platform 12 is typically associated with ‘lost cooling’ due to an accumulation of air within space 18 that is chilled by an underside of elevated platform 14, but is not effectively usable to provide cooling to fresh food products displayed upon the elevated platform 14.

Referring to FIG. 2, a temperature controlled display device (shown for example as a service-type refrigerated case 100) with an insulated support structure that serves as a display platform and provides contact cooling for preservation of fresh food products 114 is shown according to an exemplary embodiment. The case 100 includes a base 104 (e.g. stand, etc.) and an insulated support structure 110 coupled to the base 104. According to the illustrated embodiment, insulated support structure 110 is mounted upon or otherwise coupled to and supported by base 104.

The insulated support structure 110 includes a platform portion 112 configured for placement of food products 112 directly thereon (or via a thermally conducting tray 116), and a forward (e.g. front, etc.) wall portion 118 and a rearward (rear, back, etc.) wall portion 120. The front and rear wall portions 118, 120 support a canopy 150, so that the insulated support structure 110 and the canopy 150 substantially enclose and define a temperature controlled space 106.

The insulated support structure 110 includes a top surface 122 facing the temperature controlled space 106, and a bottom surface 124 opposite the top surface 122 with an interior space 126 defined between the top and bottom surfaces 122, 124. A pattern of cooling passages 130 are arranged within the interior space 126 along an underside 132 of the top surface 122 at the platform portion 112 to provide contact cooling to food products 114 disposed on the platform portion 112. Cooling passages 130 interface with a supply line or header 136 and a return line or header 138 that are operable to circulate a supply of a liquid coolant (e.g. glycol, water, water-glycol mixture, etc.) through the cooling passages. According to one embodiment, the cooling passages 130 comprise tubing formed from a thermally conductive material (e.g. copper, aluminum, etc.) and mounted in a heat transfer relationship with the underside 132 of the top surface 122, which may include a thermally conductive paste or other heat transfer medium disposed between the tubing and the underside of the top surface. The tubing may be provided as an extrusion have any suitable shape, such as rectangular, circular, etc. According to another embodiment, the cooling passages may be provided in the form of refrigerated pans (e.g. flow-through-type pans) that are disposed against the underside of the top surface in a heat transfer relationship. According to other embodiments, the cooling passages may be formed within the top surface itself. According to still other embodiments, the cooling passages may be in the form of a flow-through channel disposed on the underside of the top surface and having suitable baffles or other structure to direct the flow of coolant to provide a desired cooling performance profile on the platform portion. The remaining volume within the interior space is substantially filled with a thermal insulation material 134 (such as an expandable foam insulation material or the like).

Referring to FIG. 3, a temperature controlled display device shown for example as a service-type refrigerated case with an insulated support structure that serves as a display platform and provides contact cooling for preservation of fresh food products is shown according to another exemplary embodiment. Another pattern of cooling passages 140 may be arranged within the interior space 126 along an underside 132 of the top surface 122 at the rear wall portion 120 to provide a source of convective cooling to the food products 114 disposed on the platform portion 112. An airflow device 142 (e.g. fan, etc.) may be provided to enhance the circulation of air over the rear wall portion 120 and throughout the temperature controlled space 106. The rear wall portion 120 may include ribs or fins (not shown) or other suitable structure intended to enhance heat transfer with air circulating within the temperature controlled space 106. According to one embodiment, the convective cooling provided by rear wall portion 120 is intended to be sufficient to eliminate the need for a gravity type cooling coil within the temperature controlled space 106, in order to further reduce the cost and complexity of the case, and to enhance cleanability of the case. According to an alternative embodiment, another pattern of cooling passages 144 may be arranged within the interior space 126 along an underside 132 of the top surface 122 at the front wall portion 118 to provide a source of cooling to food products 114 disposed adjacent to the front wall portion 118 of platform 112. According to another alternative embodiment, the fan may be disposed outside of the temperature controlled space and air suction passage(s) proximate the front wall and air discharge passage(s) proximate the rear wall may be formed within the display portion that communicate with the fan to provide an air circulation flow path in a manner that avoids locating the fan within display area. According to another alternative embodiment, air flow passages (e.g. tunnels, ducts, etc.) may be formed within the display portion and that are in thermal communication with cooling passages 130, 140 and/or 144, so that air is drawn from space 106 and through the body of the display portion where the drawn air is cooled by the cooling passages (and otherwise insulated by the insulation material 134) and then discharged through an opening proximate the rear wall portion 120 to provide a chilled air circulation pattern that is integrated with the cooling passages of the display portion to provide a combined contact cooling and convective cooling arrangement.

Referring further to FIG. 3, the cooling passages 130 associated with the platform portion 112 and/or the rear wall 120 may be configured in one or more individual circuits that may separately controllable using suitable flow control devices (e.g. valves such as solenoid valves 111 that operate in a pulsed or on-off mode, or in a throttling mode) that are controlled by (i.e. receive a control signal from) a suitable control device 107 (e.g. microprocessor, etc.) in response to signals that are representative of a suitable temperature indication (e.g. a temperature of the top surface 122 of the platform portion 112 corresponding to the location of each circuit, etc.). Such a representative temperature indication may be provided by a temperature sensor 109 (e.g. thermocouple, RTD, or the like) that is configured to monitor a temperature of the top surface (e.g. embedded in the top surface or attached to the underside of the top surface), or associated with a temperature of the circulating coolant (e.g. a return temperature of the coolant), or associated with a temperature of the air within the temperature controlled space 106. By further way of example, the circuits may be individually controllable to facilitate defrosting of the platform portion and or rear wall on a circuit-by-circuit basis, so that only a portion of the top surface of the platform portion and the rear wall are being defrosted at any particular time. Individual control of the circuits may also be desirable to facilitate display of food products having different storage temperature requirements all in a single case.

Referring further to FIG. 2, the canopy 150 includes a forward section 152 having a viewing window 156 and a rearward section 154 with one or more access control devices (e.g. sliding doors/windows 158, etc.). The canopy 150 may also include a service platform 160 at an uppermost location and separating the rearward section 154 from the forward section 152. The service platform 160 may support any one or more of a gravity type cooling coil 162, air flow louver 164, drip pan, and lighting devices (not shown) coupled to an underside of the service platform.

Referring further to FIGS. 2 and 3, the platform portion 112 of the insulated support structure 110 may have a drain opening 108 extending therethrough to facilitate cleaning of the case. The platform portion 112 may be inclined (e.g. tilted or tipped forward) at a slight angle (e.g. within a range of approximately 2-7 degrees from horizontal) to enhance presentation of the food products 114 to potential customers and to facilitate drainage of condensate and other liquids toward the drain opening 109. According to an alternative embodiment, the angle of inclination may be adjustable to facilitate different presentation and cleaning needs (e.g. by providing a pivot connection between the support structure and the base and a device for raising and lowering the front or rear portion of the support structure, etc.). The base 104 may include an enclosure configured for placement of refrigeration system components therein, which may include a heat exchanger 105 (or chiller) and a pump 103 for circulating a liquid coolant through the chiller and through the cooling passages.

According to any exemplary embodiment, the temperature controlled space within the liquid-cooled case is intended to be substantially free of hoses, valves, fittings, and disconnect devices that are typically associated with elevated contact-cooling platforms, in order to reduce clutter and complexity, minimize or eliminate the likelihood of leaks, and to improve cleanability of the case. Also, the thermal conduction surface of the platform portion is disposed at the lowest region within the temperature controlled space to improve thermal performance by eliminating ‘lost cooling’ spaces. Further, integrating the contact-cooling platform portion within the insulated support structure of the case is further intended to eliminate the need to remove separate elevated platforms for cleaning, etc.

According to any preferred embodiment, a refrigerated case has a base that supports an insulated support structure and a canopy is disposed atop the insulated support structure. The insulated support structure includes cooling passages arranged therein at a display platform portion and then the remaining space is filled with an insulation material. A liquid coolant (e.g. from a chiller) is circulated (e.g. by a pump) through the cooling passages so that the insulated support structure provides direct contact cooling to food products disposed on the insulated support structure, thus avoiding the need for elevated display platforms, and maintaining the source of cooling in a lower most part of the temperature controlled space. According to a further embodiment, the rear wall portion of the insulated support structure may also include cooling passages formed or provided therein to provide convective cooling to the food products displayed on the platform portion. The convective cooling may be provided by natural circulation, or by forced circulation with an airflow device such as a fan.

As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.

It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).

The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.

It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the insulated support structure with a direct cooling display platform for a temperature controlled storage device as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present inventions have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present inventions. 

1. A temperature controlled display case, comprising: a base; an insulated display platform supported on the base, the display platform comprising a top surface, a bottom surface and an interior space defined therebetween, and a pattern of cooling passages arranged within the interior space and along an underside of the top surface, and a thermal insulation material disposed substantially throughout the interior space and around the cooling passages; and a canopy disposed above the display platform, the canopy and the display platform at least partially defining a temperature controlled space, in which food products are configured to be cooled by contact cooling with the display platform.
 2. The display case of claim 1, wherein the display platform further comprises at least one of a rear wall portion and a front wall portion having a pattern of cooling passages arranged within the interior space and along an underside of the top surface, and a thermal insulation material disposed substantially throughout the interior space and around the cooling passages.
 3. The display case of claim 2, wherein the rear wall portion comprises a pattern of cooling passages arranged within the interior space and along an underside of the top surface, and further comprising a fan configured to direct an airflow across at least a portion of the top surface of the rear wall portion, the airflow configured to circulate within the temperature controlled space.
 4. The display case of claim 3, wherein the top surface of the rear wall portion further comprises fins configured to enhance cooling of the airflow.
 5. The display case of claim 3, wherein the fan is disposed outside of the temperature controlled space and further comprising air flow passages extending through the display platform and communicating with the fan.
 6. The display case of claim 1, wherein the cooling passages are arranged into multiple circuits that are individually controllable to customize a cooling profile.
 7. The display case of claim 1, further comprising a pivot connection configured to adjust an angle of inclination of the display platform.
 8. The display case of claim 1, wherein the display platform is contoured or angled to provide a low point, and further comprising a drain in the display platform proximate the low point.
 9. The display case of claim 1, further comprising a gravity cooling coil disposed in an upper region of the temperature controlled space and supported by the canopy.
 10. The display case of claim 1, further comprising a chiller and a pump to circulate a chilled coolant through the cooling passages.
 11. The display case of claim 1, wherein the thermal insulation between the top and bottom walls of the display platform substantially prevents chilling of ambient air beneath the display platform.
 12. A temperature controlled display case, comprising: a base; an insulated display platform supported on the base at an angle of inclination and configured to receive food products directly thereon for conduction cooling, the display platform comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface and an interior space defined therebetween; a pattern of cooling passages arranged in a plurality of circuits and disposed within the interior space and in thermal communication with an underside of the top surface; a thermal insulation material disposed within the interior space and around the cooling passages to substantially prevent chilling of ambient air beneath the bottom surface of the display platform; a drain disposed proximate a low point of the top surface; and a canopy disposed above the display platform, the canopy and the display platform at least partially defining a temperature controlled space.
 13. The display case of claim 12, wherein the display platform comprises a rear wall portion having a pattern of cooling passages arranged therein.
 14. The display case of claim 12, wherein the display platform is contoured to provide the low point.
 15. The display case of claim 12, further comprising a gravity cooling coil disposed in an upper region of the temperature controlled space and supported by the canopy.
 16. The display case of claim 12, further comprising a chiller and a pump to circulate a chilled coolant through the cooling passages.
 17. The display case of claim 12, wherein the display platform further comprises an air flow passage formed therein, the air flow passage thermally communicating with the cooling passages and insulated by the thermal insulation material. 